A family of four is now homeless after a fire, suspected to have been electrical in origin, destroyed their home at Industry, East Coast Demerara yesterday afternoon.

Gangapersaud Bachan, his wife, Inderdai Bahadur and their two children, who are five and two years old.

“I couldn’t collect nothing. Everything bun”, said a tearful Inderdai Bahadur as she spoke of her loss. “Only now I start to mek a life and everything gone”, she added.

Neighbours said that that the fire at Lot 5 First Street, Industry Housing Scheme, started shortly before 5 pm. Bahadur told Stabroek News that she had just finished bathing her two daughters, Melissa and Sofia, and was on the “landing” grooming their hair when she noticed the electricity wires outside sparking. The area had had a ‘blackout’ and power had just been restored. Neighbours said that they saw flames emanating from the upper flat of the home shortly after the power had been restored.

Upon noticing the flames, Bahadur rushed to take her two daughters out of the home. She said that the fire spread quickly and they were unable to save anything.      Her husband, Gangapersaud Bachan was on the main road where he was plying his trade as a candy vendor, when he was informed of the blaze. He arrived home to see the flames raging. He said that everything was destroyed including a television, furniture, clothing and other items. The family had moved to the old wooden building in December. “I feel hurt…nothing I ain’t get to save”, he said.

Meantime, the response of the Fire Service came under fire from residents. Several persons told this newspaper that they had called the Fire Department but they took a while to arrive and when the big fire truck arrived, it had limited water storage. “Two spray and the water finish”, an unset resident said. A small tender from the Guyana Sugar Corporation Ogle estate had arrived first but could do little to quell the flames.  The angry residents said that they believed that the lower flat of the building could have been saved had the big tender arrived with water. Water to fight the inferno was sourced from a small drain.

A few residents assist fire-fighters to put out flames while others look on. A fire, suspected to have been electrical in origin, destroyed this Industry, East Coast Demerara home of a family of four yesterday afternoon. (Gaulbert Sutherland photo)

When this newspaper had arrived at the scene the bigger truck was parked on the railway embankment and shortly after it drove into the street where the building was located. By this time, the house had already been destroyed though the walls were still burning.

The distressed family later spoke with police. Bachan said that they would spend the night with relatives.

East Coast residents have complained in recent days about on and off blackouts and the damage this has been causing.